Moving to California soon and trying to decide which Lexus to lease — RX vs IS?
I work for Toyota, so I get employee lease pricing that knocks roughly ~$500/month off the payment, which makes some cars very tempting that I otherwise probably wouldn’t consider.
Current car: financing a turbo Mazda CX-50 Premium, which I genuinely love. It’s practical, comfortable, looks good, and is surprisingly fun to drive. So part of me is wondering if moving to an RX is just “more luxury CX-50” rather than something meaningfully different.
Right now I’m considering:
Here’s where I’m stuck:
RX 500h:
- Looks amazing
- More power/performance
- Seems like the “fun” SUV option
RX 450h+:
- Plug-in hybrid is appealing, especially with California gas prices
- Probably the smarter financial choice
- But I’m worried I’ll regret not getting the more exciting drivetrain
- Also seems like a heavy car, and lack of a spare wheel is daunting, as I'm used to having one and i can replace tyres myself. That peace of mind is good.
IS 350:
- I enjoy driving dynamics and sedans
- Probably the most “driver’s car” out of these
- But I’m wondering if I’ll miss the practicality/comfort of an SUV after daily driving the CX-
A few other things:
- I enjoy driving and care about handling/dynamics
- But I also do road trips and want something comfortable
- California fuel prices definitely matter
- Part of me says “this is the time to enjoy a sporty sedan before life eventually forces SUVs forever”
Curious what people here would pick and whether the RX 500h actually feels special enough over the 450h+ to justify the extra cost.
(Used AI for better formulating my thoughts and grammar)